Linux Introduction

The word "Linux" for the moment is not foreign for Internet users and the community of students who have a hobby to try out new software. Technically and short can be said, Linux is an operating system that is multi-user and multi-tasking, which can run on various platforms including Intel 386 processor or higher. This operating system implements the POSIX standard. Linux can be a good interoperability with other operating systems, including Apple, Microsoft and Novell. Linux name itself derived from the original creator, Linus Torvalds, which actually refers to a complete set of software which, together with the kernel to compile a complete operating system. This operating system environment includes hundreds of programs, including compilers, interpreters, editors and utilities. Toolkit that supports connectivity, ethernet, SLIP and PPP and interoperability. Software products that are reliable (reliable), including the latest development version. Group of developers spread throughout the world who have worked and make Linux portable to a new platform, as well as supporting the user community who have diverse needs and also users can participate and act as its own developer team.

History of Linux
 Linux was initially created by a Finnish student named Linus Torvalds. Formerly Linux is a hobby project that is inspired from Minix, a small UNIX system that is developed by Andrew Tanenbaum. 00:01 Linux version done around August 1991. Then on October 5, 1991, Linus announced the official version of Linux, which is version 0.02 which can only run the bash shell (GNU Bourne Again Shell) and gcc (GNU C Compiler). Today Linux is a very complete UNIX system, can be used for networking, software development and even for their daily work. Linux now an alternative operating system that is much cheaper when compared to commercial operating systems (eg Windows 9.x/NT/2000/ME). Linux has developed very fast. This is possible because Linux is developed by a diverse group of people. This diversity includes the level of knowledge, experience and geography. In order for these groups to communicate quickly and efficiently, the Internet becomes a very appropriate choice.
Because the Linux kernel developed by independent businesses, many applications are available, for example, the C compiler using gcc from the Free Software Foundation's GNU Project. Compilers are widely used in the environment Hewlett-Packard and Sun. Today, many Linux applications that can be used for office purposes such as for spreadsheets, word processing, database and graphics editor program that has a function and look like Microsoft Office, which is Star Office. In addition, Corel is also already available version for Linux and applications such as Matlab, which in Linux is known as Scilab. Linux can be found in a variety of distribution (often called distributions). Distro is a bundle of the Linux kernel, along with basic linux system, the installation program, basic tools, and other programs that are useful in accordance with the purpose of making distributions.

There are so many Linux distros, including:
 RedHat, the most popular distributions, at least in Indonesia. RedHat is the first distribution of the most easy installation and operation.
Debian distribution, which prioritizes stability and reliability, although sacrificing convenience and currency aspects of the program. Debian uses. Deb files in the installation package program.
Slackware, the distribution has ever ruled the world of Linux. Almost all of the documentation prepared on Slackware Linux. Two highlights of Slackware is that all of its contents (the kernel, library or application) is proven. So maybe a bit old but it's stable. The second was because he advocated for installing from source so that every program that we install optimized by our system. This is the reason he did not want to use the binary RPM and up to Slackware 4.0, it still uses libc5 glibc2 not like the others.
SuSE distribution, which is very popular with YaST (Yet another Setup Tools) to configure the system. SuSE is the first distribution in which the installation can use the Indonesian language.
Mandrake, RedHat distro is a variant that is optimized for Pentium. If we use our computers pentium and above, Linux is generally able to walk faster with Mandrake.
WinLnux, distributions that are designed to be installed on top of DOS partitions (Windows). So to run it could be a click from Windows. WinLinux made as if it is an application program under Windows.
And many more other distro

Linux Advantages
Here are described some of the advantages of Linux / UNIX compared with other operating systems. And here are some facts from the things that benefit by using programs and files Linux / UNIX:
Basically, all data stored on the hard disk even though there are some circumstances where data is stored on a floppy disk. Linux / UNIX provide some special process in which terminals, printers and other hardware devices can be accessed as we access the files stored on hard disk or floppy disk.
When the program starts, the program is run from the hard disk into RAM, and after the run will be named as a process.
Linux / UNIX provides a service for creating, modifying programs, processes and files.
Linux / UNIX supports a hierarchical file structure.
Linux / UNIX operating system is one that belongs to the class operating system that can do multitasking. Multitasking itself is a state in which an operating system can do a lot of work at the same time.
In addition to multitasking, Linux / UNIX can also support multiuser. Namely the operating system at the same time can be used by more than one user who entered into the system. Even for Linux also supports to multiconsole where at the same time at the computer directly without passing through the network and allows more than one user entered into the system dakam.
 
Section Operating System
Operating Systems Linux / UNIX consists of the kernel, system programs and application programs. The kernel is the core of the operating system that regulates the use of memory, input output devices, processes, use of files on the file system and others. The kernel also provides a set of services used to access the kernel called the system call. This system call is used to implement various services needed by the operating system. Program system and all other programs that run on top of the kernel is called user mode. The fundamental difference between system program and application programs are programs required for the system to run an operating system while application programs are the programs needed to run a particular application. Example: The daemon is a system and word processing program (word processor) is an application program.
 
Important Sections Linux Kernel
Linux kernel consists of several important parts, such as: process management, memory management, hardware device drivers, filesystem drivers, network management and others. But the most important part is the management process and memory management. Memory management to handle the memory consumption, swap area, parts of the kernel and to buffer cache. Management process handles making processes and the scheduling process. On the basis of the kernel contains a hardware device drivers for every type of hardware is supported.

Source: Open Source Campus Agreement

By:
R. Anton Raharja
Afri Yunianto
Wisesa Widyantoro

Editor:
I Made Wiryana